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HOBART MOSSMAN (1946 – 1956)
HERBERT W. SMITH (1956 – 58, 1960 – 61)
DR. BERNARD D. SHEA (1958 – 1960)
Updated the curriculum with the help of three other headmasters of leading college preparatory schools.
Was recruited by Board of Trustees Chairman J. Erik Jonsson to serve as interim headmaster on two occasions. Mr. Smith was a strong supporter of the Arts, and served as the second president of the National Council of Independent Schools.
Brought a scholarly and youthful perspective to the role of headmaster during a time of exponential change, as the Board of Trustees secured the land on Forest Lane and Welch Road for the new campus.
ROBERT S. LYLE (1961 – 71)
GLENN A. BALLARD (1971 – 79)
IDANELLE S. MCMURRY (1979 – 89)
Ensured that Hockaday’s reputation was not that of a “finishing school,” but that of a rigorous college preparatory school. Unhappy with a 1965 article calling Hockaday a “finishing school,” Lyle took the liberty to rewrite the article for the journalist.
Focused on integration, Ballard broke barriers and set Hockaday at the forefront of modern education by seeking out and enrolling our first student of color.
Became the first female Headmistress at Hockaday after thirty-two years of male leadership. During this time “Miss Mac” oversaw the expansion of the facility, an updated curriculum, larger enrollment, improvement in faculty salaries, and growth in the endowment.
RICHARD E. LOMBARDI (1989 – 90)
ELIZABETH M. (LIZA) LEE (1990 – 2004)
JEANNE P. WHITMAN (2004 – 11)
As interim Head, and disagreeing with gender barriers in education, Lombardi enrolled his daughter at Hockaday, desiring a competitive and demanding school equally as tough on girls as many other schools were on boys.
Hockaday’s first Eugene McDermott Headmistress oversaw a successful capital campaign that greatly increased the endowment, addition of several new buildings, revolutionary changes in math and science curricula, and a significant increase in student diversity.
Established distinguished faculty chairs and secured the largest donation to a girls’ school by a living alumna at the time. Led the creation of the Tenets of Faculty Excellence.
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